This invention relates to tool components.
A composite abrasive compact consists of an abrasive compact bonded to a cemented carbide substrate. The abrasive compact will generally be a diamond or cubic boron nitride compact. Such composite abrasive compacts are used extensively in industry and are described and illustrated in the patent literature.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,861,350 describes a tool component in the form of a composite abrasive compact wherein the abrasive compact has two zones which are joined by an interlocking, common boundary. The one zone provides the cutting edge or point for the tool component, while the other zone is bonded to a cemented carbide substrate. In one embodiment, the cemented carbide substrate has a central portion extending into the abrasive compact defining a peripheral abrasive compact stepped region surrounding the central portion.
Composite abrasive compacts find application in a variety of abrasive tools, including earth boring bits, also known as roller cone bits or tricone bits. Earth boring bits consist essentially of a rotatable shaft having mounted thereon a plurality of rotatable cutters. Each rotatable cutter has a plurality of spaced cutting inserts located therein. The cutting inserts may be composite abrasive compacts which are typically of a cone shape, as illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 5,119,714.
European Patent Publication No. 0 476 352 describes an earth boring bit wherein the cutting inserts located in the rotatable cutters comprise diamond impregnated carbide containing dispersed diamond crystals.